Ben Franklin is a relatively new Tesla Model Y owner. He’s had his Long Range All-Wheel Drive car for about a year now. Like most Model Y owners, he’s curious to know how much better – if at all – the all-new Model Y is and whether he should consider an upgrade.
Ben went along to the Tesla store in Kierland Commons near his home in Scottsdale Arizona, where the new Model Y is already available for test drive. There he joined the queue and took his turn in a brand new, Launch Series Model Y with pearl white paint and Tesla’s Full Self-Driving, which he put to good use.
So what did Ben think, firstly with the looks? “I like the looks,’ he said. “I like the front end with the new front light bar, and I like the design touch that they did on the side mirrors with a tiny bit of aerodynamic improvement.
“I like the looks of both cars. I honestly find my Model Y extremely attractive still, and I find the new one... well, I find it a little bit more mainstream. That gives me a slight feeling of disappointment because I prefer the more radical look of the old car.
“Everyone seems to be doing these full-width light bars now and it might be harder to pick the Tesla out from something like a Hyundai.”
Ben was more positive when he got inside. “The car feels so much more solid and for some reason it just feels bigger inside. I know it’s not, but maybe it’s the new materials and slightly updated design.
“When you get in the new one, you're immediately impressed with the feeling of solidity. And I think the screen is improved. It seems much sharper, at least to me.
I believe the materials have gotten better. The seats are now more supportive and slightly firmer. Also, the steering wheel has been altered, though I’m not sure why Tesla thinks they need to keep changing things.
One enhancement that really caught my attention was the addition of a microphone button on the steering wheel for voice commands—I consider this a significant improvement. Additionally, I quickly discovered that the scroll wheel can be used to activate or deactivate the self-driving or autopilot feature.
“So there are now three buttons on the right side of the steering wheel: one is the speaker, one is a scroll. The third one, which I really, really like, allows you to operate the cameras from the steering wheel. You can set it up so that you push the button and get an all-around view, which personally I find very useful.
A major complaint from drivers of the latest Tesla Model 3 centres around the absence of stalks on either side of the steering wheel. Instead of a traditional left-side turn signal stalk, the Model 3 features control buttons integrated into the steering wheel itself. In response, Tesla introduced a new indicator stalk for the Model Y positioned to the left of the steering wheel; however, this model lacks a stalk on the right-hand side which was previously used for operating both the gear selection and Autopilot functions. How did all of this affect Ben’s experience behind the wheel?
My car features a stalk on the right side, whereas the new Model Y only includes the turn signal on the left. Initially, I expected to strongly dislike not having a driving stalk on the right; however, I was comfortable with using the drive and park buttons on the screen instead. To move forwards or backwards, you simply scroll up and down on the screen. It seems that opening the door will also engage the parking function.
Tesla claims that the new Model Y is over 20 per cent quieter on the move, thanks to new acoustic glass and improvements to body rigidity, too. Did Ben agree?
It's considerably more peaceful," he remarked. "I observed this immediately upon entering and closing the door, but it becomes even more noticeable when you're in motion.
Tesla's attempts to enhance the driving experience – which was a major concern for owners of the initial Model Y – seem to have been successful as well. "The ride felt much nicer," commented Ben. "It certainly seems more comfortable now. I also found the steering to be considerably smoother."
Tesla has also asserted significant improvements in general quality, a point that Ben highlighted. "As I was driving my car along Scottsdale Road towards the test drive, I could hear various rattles," he mentioned. "However, when I took the new Model Y over the same section of road, there wasn’t a single rattle."
Ben is already quite fond of the Full Self-Driving technology in his personal Model Y, and he shared his experience saying, "What surprised me about Tesla was that I ended up driving less and less. Instead, I found myself utilizing the Full Self- Driving feature increasingly often."
I believe that if there is any enhancement in Full Self-Driving with the new vehicle, it's due to the chassis responding more favourably to commands compared to the current model.
Ben also considers the range to be crucial, mentioning that the improvement in this aspect was a key factor in his decision to upgrade. "During my test drive of the new model, I found its estimated range to be around 326 miles," he explained. "Even over time, I believe the newer version will still maintain an impressive range exceeding 300 miles. Currently, my present Model Y manages slightly less than 300 miles."
In regard to this crucial choice, will Ben opt for an upgrade from his present Model Y to the latest version? "Absolutely," he stated. "I am really excited about it: the extended battery life, enhanced comfort while driving, the quieter interior, and I particularly like the fresh control buttons on the steering wheel."
Ben is even beginning to consider finalizing the deal as quickly as possible. "From what I gather, in the US, Tesla will waive the last three months of your lease and permit you to upgrade."
“Without a doubt, I will do that.”
The Tesla Model Y has become available for purchase in the US, where pre-orders can be placed for the Launch Series model priced at $61,630 prior to any deductions from federal tax credits. Over in the UK, the same Launch Series vehicle retails for £60,990.
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